Efio-Ita Nyok|6 February 2017
Nigerians in Cross River, one of the nation's south-southern geopolitical states are polarised over the cancelled One Voice Nigeria protest that was originally billed for Monday 6th February to be held in Lagos and Abuja and led by leading hip hop artiste Innocent Idibia popularly called 2Baba and Tuface as well.
The decision to cancel the peaceful protest was made known by Tuface via his official Instagram page (Official 2baba) in a 57 seconds video where he posited about two hours ago that the protest had 'been hijacked by interests not aligned with our ideals'. He also cited security and public safety concerns. In his words, 'Dear Nigerians!!! Due to security concerns and public safety consideration. I hereby announce the cancellation of the planned March.'
In this publication we have a cross section of Cross Riverians who are either commending or condemning the decision by the ace musician to call off the mass action. Excerpt:
Simon Utsu:
STILL FACING 2FACE
I now understand why propaganda thrives in the Nigeria media-sphere; it's because the average Nigerian would rather make an argument based on sentiments than on logic.
Look at people calling us names for insisting Tuface is a coward for chickening out. No wonder a man with over 40 years of cattle rearing experience called Buhari came out in 2014 and told you people he'll make a dollar equal to a Naira and instead of you people asking him a salient question like who was going to be his CBN governor or finance minister pick, you people just screamed bravo and voted him in.
The other day I tried to make a logical argument about Blackface vs Tuface with regard copyrights and people called me all sorts of names, some even saying I had a deep seethed hatred for 2face, the same 2face that I hum his "dance in the rain" and/or "man unkind" every other day? I was most surprised when a young supposedly vibrant lawyer joined in the fray and blasted me for supporting blackface, even calling me ignorant and saying blackface had no case. I laughed because what I saw on display wasn't short of crass ignorance on the side of some Nigerians as regards universal copyright laws to the extent that, even Lawyers wallowed haplessly in it. Some Nigerians in 2017 still treat with levity, a strong intellectual property theft accusation. Wow!
Now to the crux. Tuface is coward, a big one for that matter. I'm one of his biggest fans but I'm so disappointed that he can ginger Nigerians the way he did and chicken out at the 11th hour for whatsoever reason(s). Someone even joked that if he's so good at withdrawing at the 11th hour, how come he still got three women pregnant multiple times? Hmm… Or is it that he made the protest charge when he was high on African shrine weed and started thinking he was Fela and then chickened out and became 2-FACED when the effect of the weed had cleared? Why must 2baba take frustrated Nigerians for a ride in times like these? What does he take us for?
2Baba, you no try at all! I know say I no holy pass but you no try at all! Shikena!
Patrick Unimagbebia Akongwale:
You can abuse Tuface till tomorrow, but remember we have a new President that has little regards for human Rights. If DSS operatives can come to a Secondary school to beat a teacher to pulp, now imagine what would happen to Protesters tomorrow.
They would create problems and get Tuface dumped inside prison for organizing a protest and exposing innocent persons to danger despite warnings from security agents.
Monsieur Buhari and his followers are poor students of history, short memory would be their undoing. He needs a chat with his friend Sani Abacha. Welcome to North Korea!
#JuntaDimension!
Joseph Odok:
When I doubted 2Face because of his questionable integrity people felt I did so because I don't support protest. I think it is time that we leave activism to men of integrity
How can one who benefited from corruption be allowed to speak. If Nigerians could celebrate a criminal like James Ibori, I am not surprise that 2Face can be made an idol despite moral questions surrounding his person
Ukorebi Ita:
THE PROREST BY 2FACE IS FANTASTIC; Who says 2face has chickened out from physically leading Nigerians to protest bad governance In Nigeria? Has he really been compromised?
2FACE INNOCENT IDIBIA has done the greatest virtual protest, that no one in the face of Nigeria has ever done. The very intentions of this protest attracted all and sundry and mobilized the entire nation to sympathize with the concept of the protest without getting physically involved to giving the police nor DSS boys the opportunity to roughened the masses.
The physical call-off of the protest has stopped the miscreants and mischief makers from infiltrating the protest and turning it into a riotous act, that will give the dare devil the one chance they would have capitalize to discredit the protest and turn it into a treasonous act (a chance to jail 2face and others) Nigerians and in diaspora have all joined in the VIRTUAL PROTEST and said loud and clear, BRING BACK OUR ECONOMY!
CONGRATS TO 2FACE IDIBIA, he has done what Napoleon could no do.
Peter Offem Ubi:
My best crowd estimates for the protest Marches had it held Monday, February 6th 2017 across the Nation would've tally over 3.5 million people -best assumptions. And as a political scientist, I believe we may have just witnessed the largest spread on the call for demonstrations in Nigeria history since the last "add salt to water and bath -or was it drink" syndrome few years back.
Almost every state in Nigeria was readily going to hosted 2face March, as we can see by the millions of responders on the Internet through sharing and tags. This event cought the eyes of the government and political leaders …the gathering would have ranged from tiny gatherings in small town squares to throngs of more than 500,000 people clogging streets in cities like lagos, Port Harcourt, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Abuja, and Calabar etc.
I must commend 2face for the courage to start this track into patriotism …the numbers ready made online organizers, local media outlets, and Nigerians who emailed or tweeted with links and gave publicity in early moments of the announcement shows that Nigerians are angry. Hostility would have indeed followed had there not been a cancelation -Nigerians in support of this call to actions were the winner's. In the finest hour, 2baba stood on the side of the little guy to be counted, and he could not have been more right to vent his frustration on what as become a Nigeria in decline.
Just as the failed employment stampede that many Nigerians died got the nation's attention, this cyberspace protest got the nation's attention yet again. For those who may attempt to organize these types of activity, there is something that can be learned in terms of today's online techniques in getting out the word, and I hope this might be a good time to think about how we democratize calls to protest.
The government must respond with solutions that drive the engine of our economy and growth in other for there to be a sustainable alleviation in poverty faced. The economic downturn faced now by almost every household in Nigeria ought to end -our leaders and President Buhari in particular must understand Nigeria is on a time bomb and will explode if nothing is done.
Princewill Odidi:
I commend 2face courage and determination to call for a national demonstration to draw the attention of government about the plight of poverty in the land. The amount of anger in the streets of nigeria today is unprecedented in our history.
The police is right in saying it may spiral and go out of control which in my thinking may even lead to massive looting, the fall of the government and eventually total chaos. To be frank the anger out there is enormous.
Everywhere people are complaining. Strike or no strike, demonstration or no demonstration, a wise government should get the message by now. Nigerians patience is far drawn. The people need to see the dividends of democracy.
There is a level of anger that may rage sometimes in the future if things does not turn around, that police stoppage may be ignored.
As a matter of urgency, the federal government should effect an economic emergency and halt the free fall of the Naira. Massive subsidy of food staples and local transportation should be effected immediately. The government should also effect salary increase without delay. God save Nigeria.
Richard Romanus:
2face has 2 face indeed. He is good musician who has over the years used his music to preach messages of Love and Peace. I suggest he sticks to music and leave Activism for Activist. Period.
Anonymous:
In him you see our real face
It's a two face
Not a true face
I am afraid of our faces.
With whom do you stand —the condemmers or commanders?
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven.org
